BRIDE BURNED TO DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 20778, 28 April 1931, Page 12

BRIDE BURNED TO DEATH

MISHAP WHEN LIGHTING FIRE “ I havo never seen a case of burns where the patient showed such remarkable pluck,"’ remarked a doctor at the inquest on Winifred Ida Skipper, aged 21, of Shipdam, Norfolk, who received such serious burns while she was lighting the fire on the morning after her wedding day that she died in hospital a lew days later. Dr D. Harlow, house surgeon at the Norwich. Hospital, stated that Mrs Skipper’s burns were very extensive, covering; almost the whole of the body, arms and legs. The husband, Herbert Skipper, aged 23, who had his hands heavily handaged, stated that his "wife got up to light the fire at 0.30, and five minutes later ho heard her shout: “Herbert, 1 am on fire.” “.1 ran downstairs,” ho continued, “ and saw her all in flames. 1 carried her outside and rolled her in the snow to put the flames out, and then I carried her across to Mrs Hunt’s, wdio lives opposite. “ J asked my wife how it all happened. She said: ‘1 don’t know what

did happen.' I saw a can which had contained paraffin standing by the fireplace, ami 1 can only suppose that she put some paraflin on the fire and tho blase set light to her clothes.” A verdict of accidental death was recorded.